Tuesday, January 20, 2009

So Mr Clark, can you answer these questions honestly?

Mark Mardell has posed a few questions for Ken Clarke onhis return to the shadow cabinet. Methinks it will be a case of wriggle wriggle. Is there any point in roping a big beast to the plough, if the big beast is pulling in the wrong direction?

1) Does he still believe Britain should join the euro?

2) Does he at least agree with the economists who last week argued that there should be a new debate about it?

3) Does he agree with the current Conservative policy that, as the Lisbon reform treaty has not been backed by Irish voters, there should be a referendum in Britain too?

4) Does he think this (leaving the EPP) is a sensible move because the Conservative Party has a different vision of Europe to the parties of Sarkozy and Merkel or does he support those Tory MEPs who want to stick in the EEP?

5) As shadow business secretary does he think it is right to pull out of such EU directives and how easy would it be in practical terms?

Interesting set of questions, and ones that need answering. But I suspect that all that will come is fudge and that famous humerous harumpf.

Today's DT reports that Ken Clarke warned David Cameron last month "Obama doesn't want his strongest European ally led by a right wing nationalist, he wants them to be a key player inside Europe, and he'll start looking at Germany or France if we start being isolationist".